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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. net — for catching
  3. pop — to visit
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. present — there
  7. net — after costs
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. net — in sport
  13. present — a gift
  14. pop — soda
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. present — the time now
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pass — a permit
  21. club — a group
  22. tear — from crying
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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