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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: suit · scale · tube · trunk · mug · craft · saw · rule

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rule — a law
  3. suit — in cards
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. craft — a skill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. tube — a container
  11. scale — in music
  12. rule — government
  13. mug — a face
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. mug — to rob
  17. craft — boats
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. saw — the tool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. suit — clothes
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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