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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 124 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rule — a law
  4. spring — a coil
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. craft — a skill
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rule — government
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. craft — boats
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. spring — of water
  14. press — to push
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. spring — the season
  19. press — newspapers
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. press — a publisher
  24. coach — a trainer

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