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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rush — hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pop — soda
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pop — to visit
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. spring — the season

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