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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 don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. chest — a box
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. mark — a trace
  16. net — in sport
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. chest — of your body

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