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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. content — videos and posts
  3. row — a line
  4. pop — soda
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. roll — a cake
  7. staff — a stick
  8. content — the amount
  9. staff — employees
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. roll — a list
  12. current — of water
  13. row — to paddle
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. content — happy
  16. staff — employees
  17. rock — music
  18. current — happening now
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. current — electric
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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