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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. club — a group
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. track — a path
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — for a lock
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pop — to visit
  15. track — a song
  16. pop — soda
  17. key — the most important part
  18. club — for golf
  19. roll — a cake
  20. kick — in football
  21. key — in music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. track — to keep track
  24. kick — a thrill

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