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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. present — the time now
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pop — to visit
  10. swing — music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. season — of the year
  13. present — there
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. season — in sport
  17. present — a gift
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. pop — soda
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a dance

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