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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pop — soda
  6. net — after costs
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cue — for pool
  9. present — there
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pop — to visit
  12. lean — thin
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. net — in sport
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mark — a trace
  19. present — a gift
  20. net — for catching
  21. mark — a grade
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lean — to bend
  24. sharp — exactly

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