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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. object — to protest
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bass — low music
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pop — soda
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mark — a grade
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bass — the fish

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