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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rock — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bass — low music
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pop — to visit
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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