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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 116 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. band — a ring
  3. pop — to visit
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — a song
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rule — government
  9. mate — a partner
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pop — soda
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rule — a law
  15. band — a music group
  16. track — a path
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mate — to breed
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mate — a friend

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