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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rock — music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pop — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pop — soda
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bound — certain
  16. track — a path
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. track — to keep track
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pop — to visit
  23. track — a song
  24. snap — to click

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