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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: craft · spell · stand · row · temple · ruler · scale · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mate — a partner
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. row — to paddle
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. craft — a skill
  15. spell — letters
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spell — magic
  18. scale — in music
  19. row — a line
  20. mate — to breed
  21. spell — a short time
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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