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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cell — in biology
  3. key — in music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. snap — to click
  11. sharp — clever
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. staff — employees
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. cell — a phone
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. branch — a division
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pitch — completely
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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