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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rock — music
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pop — soda
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rash — a series
  24. mate — a friend

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