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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. scale — size or range
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pop — soda
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pop — to visit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. kick — in football
  15. ball — a great time
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. scale — in music

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