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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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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: row · safe · craft · scale · deal · rule · pit · arm

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rule — government
  4. craft — boats
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pit — a hole
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rule — a law
  11. pit — in a race
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. deal — to handle
  22. scale — size or range
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rule — to rule out

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