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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. club — for golf
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. firm — decided
  6. pop — to visit
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pop — soda
  9. firm — steady
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. club — a group
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. club — for dancing
  20. press — to push
  21. dip — to sink
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pop — music
  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