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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mug — to rob
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. pop — soda
  12. bore — to drill
  13. can — a tin
  14. rock — music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rock — a stone
  19. can — a tin
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bound — certain

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