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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rash — a series
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cell — in biology
  11. pop — soda
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cell — a phone
  14. rash — hasty
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. net — for catching
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pop — music
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. sharp — exactly

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