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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: deal · mug · file · rule · cap · dip · craft · season

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. 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. cap — of ice
  2. mug — to rob
  3. file — a line of people
  4. craft — a skill
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mug — a face
  7. rule — government
  8. deal — to handle
  9. craft — boats
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cap — a lid
  13. season — in sport
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cap — a hat
  17. file — a tool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. season — of the year
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. dip — to sink
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. file — a document
  24. 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