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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: net · pass · scale · date · craft · tube · firm · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pass — a permit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. firm — decided
  6. scale — in music
  7. firm — steady
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. net — in sport
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. net — for catching
  13. firm — a company
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. net — after costs
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. craft — boats
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. scale — size or range
  24. tube — a container

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