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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 116 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: fine · current · scale · board · coach · bear · object · rule

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fine — all right
  3. rule — government
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rule — a law
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — electric
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. object — an aim
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. board — to get on
  18. bear — the animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. scale — for weighing

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