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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: degree · club · fine · craft · bore · scale · rule · current

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. degree — from a university
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. current — of water
  7. fine — all right
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — an amount
  10. club — a group
  11. current — electric
  12. scale — in music
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bore — to tire
  15. current — happening now
  16. craft — boats
  17. rule — government
  18. club — for golf
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. scale — size or range
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rule — a law

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