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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pop — music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. scale — in music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pop — soda
  13. swing — to play on
  14. kick — in football
  15. swing — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. kick — with a leg

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