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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bass — low music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pop — soda
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. club — a group
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. club — for golf
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — for dancing

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