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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. pop — music
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rush — hurry
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. swing — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pop — soda
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mark — a grade
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ruler — for measuring

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