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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. last — finally
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. can — to be able to
  10. court — for sport
  11. deal — to handle
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — the most important part
  14. court — of a king
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. last — final
  17. cold — not warm
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — to go on
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — in music
  24. court — of law

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