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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. march — the month
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pop — soda
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bulb — for light
  11. march — music
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. firm — a company
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pit — in a race
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pop — to visit
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. march — the month
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. suit — in cards

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