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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · pit · roll · scale · kid · ruler · rush · cabinet

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. kid — child
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kid — to tease
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rush — hurry
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. roll — a list
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. scale — in music
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. ruler — a monarch

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