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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 · fall · bank · pitcher · rule · wound · mug

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. drill — the tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rule — a law
  5. bank — for money
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fall — the season
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rule — government
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a face
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. drill — army training

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