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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: deal · temple · row · hide · scale · rule · object · bulb

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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 — government
  2. object — an aim
  3. scale — size or range
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bulb — for light
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — to protest
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. scale — in music
  17. row — to paddle
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rule — a law
  20. object — a thing
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  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