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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mug — a face
  5. wound — an injury
  6. object — an aim
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mug — to rob
  11. scale — in music
  12. ball — a great time
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pop — music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pop — soda
  18. rush — hurry
  19. ball — a dance
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. can — a tin
  22. object — a thing
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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