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

Word bank: cap · mug · deal · jam · rule · race

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rule — government
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mug — a face
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. mug — to rob
  9. deal — to handle
  10. race — humankind
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rule — a law
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. race — a contest
  18. jam — a tight spot

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