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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for dancing
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. object — an aim
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. club — a group
  7. bound — certain
  8. club — for golf
  9. bank — for money
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. object — to protest
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bound — tied together
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. hand — help
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. object — a thing

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