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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rest — a break
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hand — help
  23. rest — what's left
  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