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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bound — tied together
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stock — goods
  17. band — a music group
  18. ball — a dance
  19. club — for dancing
  20. band — a ring
  21. bound — certain
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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