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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. craft — a skill
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bass — low music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. deal — to handle
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. hand — help
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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