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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rule — a law
  3. net — for catching
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. current — electric
  6. rock — a stone
  7. net — in sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pop — soda
  10. fine — all right
  11. rock — music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. net — after costs
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. current — of water
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pop — to visit
  18. current — happening now
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rule — government
  22. fine — high quality
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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