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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. land — ground
  6. ball — a great time
  7. land — to come down
  8. mark — a grade
  9. land — a country
  10. squash — to crush
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ball — a dance
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. mark — a trace
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. can — a tin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — to be able to

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