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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.

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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: fine · bark · rule · leaves · plane · tube · board · scale

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rule — government
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rule — a law
  5. tube — a container
  6. board — a committee
  7. fine — all right
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — to shout
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. board — to get on
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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