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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. shower — rain
  4. mug — a cup
  5. hand — help
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rule — government
  12. craft — boats
  13. fine — high quality
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fine — all right
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mug — a face
  20. hand — in cards
  21. cap — of ice
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. saw — the tool

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