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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · key · rock · ruler · can · face · mouse · spring

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — a coil
  3. can — to be able to
  4. key — in music
  5. face — to confront
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — a stone
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. spring — the season
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. can — a tin
  20. spring — of water
  21. key — the most important part
  22. face — to point toward
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. face — part of the head

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