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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. track — a path
  4. suit — clothes
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wake — a trail
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. current — happening now
  9. pop — to visit
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. track — to keep track
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. current — electric
  17. face — to point toward
  18. track — a song
  19. pop — soda
  20. suit — in cards
  21. kick — in football
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — of water
  24. row — a quarrel

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