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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pitch — completely
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rock — music
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. band — a music group

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