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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 116 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: craft · rule · present · can · mark · race · capital · lash

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rule — a law
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. capital — money
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. can — a tin
  8. present — there
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rule — government
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — the arms race
  17. present — the time now
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. present — a gift
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. capital — a city
  23. race — a contest
  24. craft — boats

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