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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 120 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. firm — decided
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rule — a law
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pop — to visit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — soda
  10. track — a song
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rule — government
  18. bass — low music
  19. pop — music
  20. bank — for money
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bank — for money

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