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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: rule · toast · fan · craft · saw · ground · nail · scale

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. scale — in music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. toast — bread
  8. craft — boats
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rule — a law
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. saw — the tool
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — government
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. fan — a supporter

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