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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. press — to push
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pop — music
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. press — a publisher
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. deal — to handle
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. hand — help
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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