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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 120 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: rule · rest · scale · craft · key · pit · squash · charge

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. craft — boats
  7. scale — in music
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — in control
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. key — in music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rule — a law
  22. rest — a break
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rest — what's left

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