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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bound — tied together
  4. rash — a series
  5. current — happening now
  6. bound — certain
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. band — a music group
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bound — obliged
  15. current — electric
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — to sink
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rest — a break
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. band — a ring
  22. current — of water
  23. pop — soda
  24. band — a rubber band

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