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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 · rock · chip · deal · ruler · scale · charge · mate

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — boats
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. charge — in control
  9. mate — to breed
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rock — a stone
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mate — a partner
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. scale — in music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. charge — a price
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rock — music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chip — for betting
  24. deal — an agreement

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