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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · suit · scale · mug · mine · kick · cabinet · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. mug — a face
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mug — to rob
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. suit — clothes
  12. kick — in football
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. scale — size or range
  16. game — wild animals
  17. scale — in music
  18. game — a match
  19. suit — in cards
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mine — for digging
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mug — a cup
  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