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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pass — a permit
  10. club — for dancing
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pop — soda
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spell — magic
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. spell — letters
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. club — for golf
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kick — in football
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. spell — a short time
  24. kick — a thrill

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