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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: scale · plane · pass · mark · perch · rule · roll · stand

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — a permit
  9. scale — in music
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stand — to bear
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. roll — a list
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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