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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bass — low music
  3. pop — soda
  4. club — for golf
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. club — a group
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. face — to confront
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pit — in a race
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — the instrument

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