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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: bore · row · rule · pass · scale · fan · dip · rest

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pass — a permit
  4. row — to paddle
  5. scale — size or range
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. row — a line
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. dip — to sink
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rest — what's left
  16. scale — in music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rest — a break
  19. bore — to tire
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rule — government
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rule — a law

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