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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pop — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. club — for dancing
  7. spell — letters
  8. pass — a permit
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. club — for golf
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. club — a group
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. spell — magic

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