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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mate — to breed
  8. key — the most important part
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. sharp — clever
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mate — a friend
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mate — a partner
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — the fish
  20. key — in music
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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