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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: ruler · season · band · stem · land · scale · mug · vault

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. scale — size or range
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. scale — in music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. land — ground
  10. season — in sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stem — to come from
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. band — a music group
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. land — to come down
  20. mug — a cup
  21. season — of the year
  22. land — a country
  23. mug — a face
  24. band — a ring

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