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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. staff — employees
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. staff — employees
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. game — a match
  14. staff — a stick
  15. game — wild animals
  16. pop — soda
  17. ball — a great time
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. sharp — clever
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ruler — a monarch

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