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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. staff — a stick
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. face — to point toward
  10. staff — employees
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. row — a line
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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