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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: scale · rule · perch · fall · fork · bound · bear · foot

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bound — certain
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rule — a law
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bound — obliged
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fall — the season
  14. foot — a measure
  15. scale — in music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rule — government
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fall — to drop

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