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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · hand · mark · kick · scale · sharp · stick · rock

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rock — music
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. kick — in football
  6. rule — government
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rock — a stone
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rule — a law
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. hand — help
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mark — a grade
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. kick — with a leg

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