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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cell — in biology
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. chip — for betting
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cell — a phone
  13. suit — in cards
  14. court — for sport
  15. plane — a tool
  16. court — of law
  17. chip — to eat
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. court — of a king
  24. ruler — a monarch

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