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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: stem · ruler · perch · craft · scale · cap · fan · degree

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. craft — boats
  4. scale — size or range
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. degree — an amount
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cap — a lid
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. scale — in music
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. degree — from a university
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. degree — temperature
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a hat

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