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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: rush · scale · craft · foot · bore · net · wave · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — size or range
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. scale — in music
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. net — for catching
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — in sport
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — after costs
  24. bore — gave birth

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