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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: scale · fine · degree · field · coach · ruler · row · bowl

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fine — high quality
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. row — a line
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — a subject
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fine — all right
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. scale — in music
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — from a university
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. degree — an amount
  24. field — for sport

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