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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rock — music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mark — a grade
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ground — a position
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. drill — army training
  14. ground — the earth
  15. drill — the tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bass — low music
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. swing — to play on
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. swing — music
  24. fork — a garden tool

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