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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rule — a law
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pound — a weight
  15. firm — a company
  16. march — music
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tear — from crying
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cap — a hat

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