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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 120 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: rule · leaves · march · staff · scale · craft · object · hide

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. march — the month
  4. staff — a stick
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. staff — employees
  7. rule — government
  8. object — a thing
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. march — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. scale — in music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. march — the month
  15. staff — employees
  16. craft — a skill
  17. object — to protest
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. craft — boats
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. scale — size or range
  24. object — an aim

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