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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 · craft · scale · chip · nail · mouse · pound · saw

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rule — government
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rule — a law
  7. saw — the tool
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — boats
  17. pound — a weight
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chip — in a computer

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