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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pop — to visit
  5. track — a song
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cell — in biology
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. deal — to handle
  20. track — a path
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cell — in a prison

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