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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. track — a path
  3. pop — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bass — low music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — a skill
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fork — in a road
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. track — a song
  24. fork — to eat with

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