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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pit — in a race
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. last — to go on
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pop — soda
  16. last — finally
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pit — a hole
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pop — to visit
  23. last — final
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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