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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: roll · staff · firm · rule · capital · club · craft · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. rule — a law
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. cap — a lid
  5. firm — decided
  6. roll — a cake
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. capital — a city
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. staff — employees
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rule — government
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. club — a group
  15. cap — of ice
  16. staff — a stick
  17. firm — a company
  18. craft — boats
  19. club — for golf
  20. capital — money
  21. roll — a list
  22. club — for dancing
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — steady

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