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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: suit · file · craft · scale · dip · pound · wax · mate

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mate — a friend
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. dip — to sink
  6. scale — size or range
  7. suit — in cards
  8. craft — boats
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mate — to breed
  11. craft — a skill
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pound — a weight
  15. file — a tool
  16. mate — a partner
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. file — a document
  21. scale — in music
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. file — a line of people

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