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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: craft · mate · pass · rule · scale · vault

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. rule — a law
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mate — a partner
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mate — to breed
  18. vault — a safe

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