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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: safe · club · track · rule · scale · shower · rock · bound

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rule — government
  3. track — to keep track
  4. shower — rain
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. track — a path
  8. shower — to wash
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bound — obliged
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rock — music
  14. bound — certain
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. club — for dancing
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. scale — in music
  21. bound — tied together
  22. club — for golf
  23. scale — size or range
  24. club — a group

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