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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bat — the animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pop — to visit
  9. deal — to handle
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mate — to breed
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pop — soda
  17. bass — low music
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bass — the fish
  22. lie — to recline
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mate — a friend

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