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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · rest · patient · scale · cap · rule · mouse · pit

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. firm — a company
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. scale — in music
  15. rest — a break
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cap — a lid

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com