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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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468
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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. foot — a measure
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. band — a ring
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. court — for sport
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cap — a lid
  13. court — of law
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. court — of a king
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cap — of ice
  19. band — a music group
  20. cell — a phone
  21. sharp — clever
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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