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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. key — the most important part
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — all right
  16. key — in music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. fine — high quality
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pop — soda

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