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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kid — child
  7. kid — to tease
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. staff — employees
  16. key — in music
  17. staff — employees
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pop — to visit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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