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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fine — all right
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bass — low music
  8. rock — music
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rule — government
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rule — a law
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tear — to rip
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bass — the fish

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