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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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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 · bulb · capital · stand · roll · last · scale · saw

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. scale — size or range
  3. saw — the tool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. capital — a city
  6. last — to go on
  7. capital — money
  8. roll — a list
  9. last — finally
  10. roll — a cake
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stand — to bear
  15. saw — the tool
  16. last — final
  17. rule — a law
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rule — government
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — in music
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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