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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. drill — the tool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. drill — army training
  18. object — to protest
  19. band — a ring
  20. object — a thing
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ground — a position
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. object — an aim

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