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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pop — soda
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pop — music
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mine — for digging
  17. key — the most important part
  18. snap — to click
  19. bound — certain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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