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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ball — a dance
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spell — magic
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — letters
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — clever
  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