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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rule — government
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — steady
  14. rule — a law
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. firm — a company
  19. lean — thin
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rule — to rule out

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