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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 cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. root — the cause
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. root — of a plant
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. root — of a word
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. craft — boats
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bass — low music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lash — an eyelash

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