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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. march — music
  6. board — a committee
  7. march — the month
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. spring — a coil
  12. dip — to sink
  13. spring — the season
  14. band — a music group
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. band — a ring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pop — to visit
  21. spring — of water
  22. march — the month
  23. pop — soda
  24. dip — to dunk

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