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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 120 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: mug · cabinet · craft · season · net · mark · capital · chair

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. net — for catching
  3. capital — money
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mug — a cup
  8. season — of the year
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chair — a leader
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — a face
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. net — in sport
  20. mug — to rob
  21. season — in sport
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. capital — a city
  24. net — after costs

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