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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cap — of ice
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wind — moving air
  13. craft — boats
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — to handle
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wind — moving air
  19. chair — a leader
  20. branch — a division
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. deal — an agreement

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