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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pop — soda
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pop — music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bass — the fish
  9. prune — to trim
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pop — to visit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — for betting

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