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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. date — the fruit
  3. sharp — clever
  4. scale — size or range
  5. object — an aim
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pit — in a race
  15. object — to protest
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. scale — in music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — a thing
  24. date — on the calendar

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