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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. content — the amount
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pop — soda
  12. content — happy
  13. pass — a permit
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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