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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pop — to visit
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. firm — steady
  9. key — in music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. firm — a company
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. key — for a lock
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — soda
  24. nail — for a hammer

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