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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. mug — a cup
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — soda
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. march — music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bound — tied together
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mug — a face
  17. tube — the underground
  18. march — the month
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bound — certain
  24. racket — for tennis

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