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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: rule · scale · board · ball · coach · pop · chair · spell

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pop — soda
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. spell — letters
  11. ball — a great time
  12. spell — a short time
  13. board — a committee
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rule — a law
  18. spell — magic
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ball — a dance
  21. scale — in music
  22. board — to get on
  23. rule — government
  24. chair — a leader

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