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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: squash · fine · bore · saw · board · scale · foot · craft

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. scale — in music
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. craft — boats
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. saw — the tool
  14. foot — a measure
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. board — a committee
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bore — to drill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. squash — the sport
  24. craft — a handicraft

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