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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 116 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. ball — a great time
  5. present — the time now
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — a gift
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pop — soda
  12. cue — a signal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pop — music
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. present — there
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cue — a hint
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. band — a ring
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. band — a music group

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