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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. object — a thing
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wound — an injury
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. mate — to breed
  11. row — a line
  12. pitch — completely
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wound — an injury
  16. object — an aim
  17. mate — a friend
  18. club — for golf
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pop — soda
  22. club — a group
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. object — to protest

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