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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bass — low music
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stand — to bear
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rest — what's left
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pop — soda
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. craft — boats
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. drill — a practice
  22. cue — a signal
  23. drill — army training
  24. craft — a handicraft

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