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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.

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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: bowl · row · wound · lean · scale · bulb · deal · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rule — government
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lean — thin
  11. scale — in music
  12. row — to paddle
  13. rule — a law
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — size or range
  24. row — a line

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