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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 120 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mug — a cup
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. season — of the year
  10. squash — to crush
  11. present — a gift
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. present — the time now
  14. mug — a face
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. squash — the sport
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. present — there
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. season — in sport

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