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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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. perch — the fish
  3. key — the most important part
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — in music
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rule — a law
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. kick — in football
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pop — soda
  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