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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pop — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pop — to visit
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ball — a great time
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pop — soda
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pit — in a race
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. face — to confront
  23. ball — a round shape
  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