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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: rule · scale · stem · pass · mouse · chip · band · land

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. land — a country
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — ground
  9. band — a music group
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rule — government
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. scale — in music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stem — to come from
  24. band — a ring

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