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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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a trace
  9. saw — the tool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — to recline
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. sharp — clever
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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