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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. march — the month
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. march — music
  7. club — for golf
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. track — to keep track
  11. club — a group
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bound — certain
  14. rock — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — soda
  21. march — the month
  22. pop — music
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. track — a path

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