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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 124 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. capital — a city
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. rule — government
  17. craft — boats
  18. capital — money
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pop — music
  21. rule — a law
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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