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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. present — there
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. present — a gift
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — for golf
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. present — the time now
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — of the year
  17. club — a group
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pop — soda
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. season — in sport
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. club — for dancing

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