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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. capital — a city
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bound — certain
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bound — obliged
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rash — hasty
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — tied together
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — to bear
  20. capital — money
  21. can — a tin
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rash — a series

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