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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pop — music
  3. last — finally
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pop — to visit
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. craft — boats
  10. last — to go on
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pop — soda
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. craft — a skill
  18. last — final
  19. key — in music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ruler — for measuring

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