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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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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. kid — child
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. shower — rain
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. object — a thing
  10. firm — steady
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. firm — decided
  13. kid — to tease
  14. object — to protest
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pop — soda
  17. object — an aim
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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