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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: scale · game · cabinet · stand · plane · mark · rule · current

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. current — happening now
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rule — government
  9. game — a match
  10. scale — in music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. scale — size or range
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. current — electric
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. game — wild animals
  20. current — of water
  21. rule — a law
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mark — to pay attention

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