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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pop — music
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. firm — decided
  6. season — in sport
  7. fine — all right
  8. band — a music group
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. firm — steady
  11. key — for a lock
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pop — soda
  15. wake — a trail
  16. firm — a company
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — of the year
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. key — in music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fine — high quality

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