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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 116 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: deal · bank · craft · wave · object · rock · mate · scale

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rock — music
  4. scale — in music
  5. bank — for money
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mate — a partner
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. object — to protest
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — a thing
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mate — to breed
  21. object — an aim
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. scale — size or range
  24. craft — a skill

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