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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · can · club · march · nail · dip · rule · fork

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rule — government
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — the month
  7. fork — in a road
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. can — to be able to
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. march — music
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. can — a tin
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rule — a law
  18. club — a group
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. scale — in music
  21. club — for golf
  22. can — a tin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. march — the month

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