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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. track — a path
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rock — music
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. club — a group
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. club — for golf
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. track — a song
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pop — soda
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pop — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. track — to keep track

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