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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a dance
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lean — thin
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ball — a great time
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rule — a law
  21. kick — in football
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. kick — a thrill

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