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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rash — a series
  4. pound — a weight
  5. can — a tin
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. can — a tin
  10. rule — a law
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — to be able to
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rule — government
  16. staff — a stick
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rash — hasty
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. staff — employees
  24. pound — to hit hard

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