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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pop — to visit
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. season — in sport
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. mate — to breed
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pop — soda
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — in cards
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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