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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.

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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 · deal · scale · bore · game · fall · sharp · cue

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a skill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fall — the season
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. deal — to handle
  17. craft — boats
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bore — to drill
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. deal — a big deal

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