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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. present — a gift
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rock — music
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. swing — in golf
  16. present — there
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. sharp — clever
  19. swing — music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — the time now
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rock — a stone

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