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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. kid — child
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. suit — clothes
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rush — hurry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pop — soda
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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