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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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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: ruler · bear · sharp · ball · last · stick · deal · file

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. last — to go on
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. last — final
  12. file — a document
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a dance
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. file — a tool
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. deal — to handle
  21. last — finally
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. sharp — clever

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