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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bound — tied together
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. game — a match
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pop — soda
  20. bound — certain
  21. rash — a series
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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