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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. band — a ring
  4. track — a path
  5. file — a document
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. net — in sport
  9. file — a line of people
  10. net — for catching
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. net — after costs
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pop — soda
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. track — to keep track
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. band — a music group
  20. file — a tool
  21. pop — music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. track — a song
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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