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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: capital · deal · stick · rash · craft · lie · root · content

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rash — hasty
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. root — the cause
  14. content — the amount
  15. craft — boats
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — happy
  18. root — of a word
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — a series
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. deal — to handle

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