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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · land · cap · rule · kick · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. land — ground
  12. cap — of ice
  13. kick — in football
  14. pass — a permit
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. cap — a lid
  18. rule — a law

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