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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: cap · charge · bowl · scale · file · safe · ground · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. charge — a price
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ground — the earth
  5. charge — electricity
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rule — a law
  8. file — a tool
  9. cap — of ice
  10. ground — a position
  11. scale — in music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. file — a line of people
  15. ground — crushed
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cap — a hat
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. file — a document
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. charge — in control

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