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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: cap · cabinet · bore · plane · bass · craft · mate · scale

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. craft — boats
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bore — to tire
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bore — to drill
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mate — a friend
  21. plane — a tool
  22. scale — in music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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