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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: foot · game · scale · stock · season · rush · object · rule

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. season — in sport
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rule — a law
  8. scale — in music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. object — a thing
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. season — of the year
  13. object — to protest
  14. rule — government
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. game — a match
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. object — an aim
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. game — wild animals
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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