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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. game — wild animals
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cue — a signal
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. field — a subject
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. game — a match
  13. ball — a dance
  14. cue — a hint
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pop — soda
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pop — to visit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ball — a great time

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