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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bound — obliged
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bound — tied together
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fall — the season
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. deal — to handle
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — to come from
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bound — certain

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