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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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. key — the most important part
  7. band — a music group
  8. mate — a friend
  9. content — happy
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mate — to breed
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pound — a weight
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. key — in music
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pop — soda
  22. band — a ring
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pound — to hit hard

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