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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 · cue · bowl · scale · file · leaves · clip · charge

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. scale — in music
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rule — government
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. clip — a video
  12. charge — in control
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. charge — a price
  17. file — a document
  18. cue — a signal
  19. file — a tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. file — a line of people
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. clip — for paper

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