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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. can — a tin
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. club — a group
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. club — for dancing
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — to recline
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. toast — bread

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