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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: row · rule · mark · coach · rush · scale · tube · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. scale — in music
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. tube — the underground
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tube — a container
  17. scale — size or range
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mark — a trace
  20. row — a line
  21. rule — a law
  22. rush — hurry
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rule — government

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