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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 124 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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Word bank
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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: deal · swing · scale · roll · charge · land · rule · stem

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. charge — in control
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. land — a country
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rule — government
  9. land — to come down
  10. swing — music
  11. charge — a price
  12. stem — to come from
  13. roll — a list
  14. scale — in music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. land — ground
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. charge — electricity
  19. roll — a cake
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. scale — size or range
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — of a plant

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