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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — a price
  4. rash — a series
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pop — music
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pop — to visit
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rest — a break
  16. charge — in control
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rash — hasty
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pop — soda
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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