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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 120 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
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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: board · wind · rule · fine · scale · tear · mug · hand

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mug — a face
  4. scale — size or range
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. board — to get on
  11. tear — from crying
  12. board — a committee
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mug — to rob
  17. hand — in cards
  18. fine — all right
  19. rule — a law
  20. hand — help
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. rule — government
  23. mug — a cup
  24. tear — to rip

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