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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: rock · degree · suit · craft · scale · stick · board · rule

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — music
  5. degree — an amount
  6. suit — to fit
  7. craft — boats
  8. suit — clothes
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. craft — a skill
  12. degree — temperature
  13. board — a committee
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rule — a law
  16. board — to get on
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rule — government
  21. rock — a stone
  22. scale — in music
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. suit — in cards

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