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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. race — the arms race
  3. band — a ring
  4. rock — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mug — a cup
  7. race — a contest
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. race — humankind
  13. season — of the year
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. band — a music group
  18. rock — a stone
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. season — in sport
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. cap — a hat

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