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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. suit — clothes
  4. craft — a skill
  5. land — ground
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. capital — money
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — in cards
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. land — to come down
  14. craft — boats
  15. land — a country
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. capital — a city
  18. hide — to keep secret

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