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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: dip · season · tear · capital · rule · ruler

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. season — of the year
  4. capital — money
  5. rule — a law
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. tear — from crying
  13. season — in sport
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rule — government
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. tear — to rip
  18. capital — a city

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