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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. key — the most important part
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — the fish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. pop — to visit
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bass — low music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. key — in music
  17. pop — soda
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — for a lock
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. game — a match

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