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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rule — a law
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rule — government
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rock — music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — of ice
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. craft — boats
  21. rest — a break
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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