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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. suit — to fit
  3. race — humankind
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. race — a contest
  10. pop — music
  11. race — the arms race
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pop — soda
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pop — to visit
  20. capital — a city
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. capital — money

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