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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pop — to visit
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pop — soda
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. scale — in music
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pit — a hole
  18. ball — a great time

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