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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. sharp — clever
  4. key — in music
  5. pop — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rock — 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