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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 · roll · wave · plane · rule · toast · bark · cabinet

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. roll — a list
  5. rule — government
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. scale — in music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bark — to shout
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rule — a law

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