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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. club — a group
  8. march — music
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — the month
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. march — the month
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. club — for golf
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pop — soda
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. net — after costs
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pop — music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. net — in sport
  24. pop — to visit

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