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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rock — a stone
  8. scale — size or range
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rock — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. land — to come down
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. degree — an amount
  19. scale — in music
  20. pop — soda
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  24. scale — for weighing

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