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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. spring — of water
  6. pop — soda
  7. pit — a hole
  8. content — the amount
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. spring — a coil
  12. date — the fruit
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. spring — the season
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rock — a stone
  23. content — happy
  24. date — on the calendar

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