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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 knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rush — hurry
  6. club — a group
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. club — for dancing
  17. sharp — clever
  18. club — for golf
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kick — in football
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. kick — with a leg

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