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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: rule · mate · plane · object · vault · tube · scale · craft

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rule — a law
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rule — government
  11. craft — a skill
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. object — an aim
  14. mate — a friend
  15. plane — a tool
  16. object — to protest
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. object — a thing
  22. craft — boats
  23. scale — in music
  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