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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. staff — a stick
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — soda
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bulb — for light
  14. staff — employees
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bear — the animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bulb — for light
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — rain

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