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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: rush · fork · wake · fine · roll · land · scale · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. land — a country
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fine — all right
  9. scale — in music
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. roll — a list
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wake — a trail
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. land — ground
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. land — to come down

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