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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: saw · patient · cue · board · stem · scale · jam · rule

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. scale — in music
  3. rule — government
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. scale — size or range
  15. board — a committee
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — a hint
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cue — for pool
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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