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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — to handle
  7. scale — in music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spring — the season
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. spring — of water
  14. scale — size or range
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ruler — for measuring

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