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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. pass — a permit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fine — all right
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. date — the fruit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — in a road
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pop — soda
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. temple — side of the head

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