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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: plane · bore · lash · wound · cabinet · scale · rule · court

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rule — a law
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. plane — a tool
  8. scale — size or range
  9. court — of a king
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rule — government
  24. scale — for weighing

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