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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · tube · scale · craft · cabinet · mug · present · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hand — in cards
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. present — the time now
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mug — a cup
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mug — a face
  12. present — there
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. tube — the underground
  16. craft — boats
  17. scale — in music
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. scale — size or range
  20. craft — a skill
  21. hand — help
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. present — a gift
  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