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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. firm — steady
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. swing — to play on
  16. firm — decided
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. firm — a company
  23. wake — a trail
  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