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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.

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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: drill · scale · land · foot · cap · rule · plane · bound

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. land — ground
  6. drill — a practice
  7. land — to come down
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bound — certain
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. land — a country
  16. rule — a law
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bound — tied together
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rule — government
  21. drill — army training
  22. scale — in music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bound — obliged

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