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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 116 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: pop · last · scale · rest · suit · rule · mark · fine

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fine — all right
  3. rest — a break
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. last — to go on
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pop — soda
  11. rule — government
  12. last — final
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pop — music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rule — a law
  18. mark — a trace
  19. last — finally
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pop — to visit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mark — a grade
  24. scale — in music

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