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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rock — music
  8. cap — of ice
  9. drill — army training
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cap — a lid
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bass — low music

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