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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. capital — a city
  3. object — a thing
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. object — an aim
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. object — to protest
  11. staff — employees
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. craft — a skill
  19. staff — employees
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. capital — money
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. craft — boats

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