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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: scale · craft · degree · saw · bay · rule · file · nail

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. file — a tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. file — a line of people
  7. saw — the tool
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rule — a law
  10. file — a document
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. craft — boats
  14. scale — in music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. degree — an amount
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — size or range
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rule — government
  24. craft — a handicraft

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