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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. key — in music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. tube — a container
  9. key — the most important part
  10. present — there
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. present — the time now
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. present — a gift
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. suit — to fit
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. tube — in a tire

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