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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. march — the month
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. court — of law
  8. court — of a king
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. march — the month
  12. rule — government
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rule — a law
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rush — hurry
  19. court — for sport
  20. toast — bread
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. march — music

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