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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mug — a cup
  5. craft — a skill
  6. march — the month
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a city
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cap — of ice
  15. mug — to rob
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mug — a face
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. march — music
  20. vault — a safe
  21. march — the month
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — boats

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