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

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. kid — to tease
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. charge — a price
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. charge — in control
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fine — all right
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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