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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pop — soda
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pit — a hole
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wind — moving air
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pop — to visit
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ground — a position

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