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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pop — soda
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. press — a publisher
  8. club — for dancing
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pop — to visit
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. hand — help
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. mug — a face
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. club — for golf
  19. pop — music
  20. kick — in football
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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