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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. spell — letters
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. chair — a leader
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pop — soda
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stand — to bear
  24. foot — the bottom

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