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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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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. firm — a company
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wound — an injury
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. capital — money
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cue — a hint
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — steady
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cue — a signal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. capital — a city
  23. cue — for pool
  24. firm — decided

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