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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pop — to visit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — an aim
  10. bass — low music
  11. band — a ring
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. race — a contest
  17. pop — soda
  18. race — humankind
  19. track — a path
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lean — thin
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. lean — to bend

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