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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
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: scale · chair · bulb · rule · coach · foot · suit · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — in cards
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. scale — in music
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — a leader
  24. coach — a trainer

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