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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. craft — a skill
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. file — a document
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bat — the animal
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. craft — boats
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. capital — a city
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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