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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rule — government
  4. dip — to sink
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a city
  13. wound — an injury
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rule — a law
  20. wound — an injury
  21. craft — boats
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rule — to rule out
  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