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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pop — music
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rock — music
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cue — a hint
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pop — soda
  12. dip — to sink
  13. net — after costs
  14. rock — a stone
  15. suit — clothes
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. spell — letters
  18. net — in sport
  19. cue — a signal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pop — to visit
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. net — for catching
  24. suit — to fit

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