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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bank — for money
  10. bound — certain
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pop — soda
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bound — tied together
  17. kid — child
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bound — obliged
  20. march — the month
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bank — for money
  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