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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: safe · craft · dip · season · kid · rule · deal · mark

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. craft — a skill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. kid — to tease
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mark — a grade
  12. season — in sport
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. mark — a trace
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. kid — child
  24. season — of the year

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