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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mug — to rob
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pop — soda
  10. game — a match
  11. spell — magic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mug — a cup
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mug — a face

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