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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cap — of ice
  6. snap — to click
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rash — a series
  10. pop — soda
  11. race — a contest
  12. can — a tin
  13. pop — to visit
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rash — hasty
  17. suit — to fit
  18. race — humankind
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. can — a tin
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cap — a hat

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