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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: field · fine · degree · scale · pass · rock · rule · swing

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rule — government
  6. scale — in music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. field — a subject
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pass — a permit
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. degree — from a university
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fine — all right
  18. degree — temperature
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — farmland
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rock — music
  24. swing — music

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