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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. land — to come down
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — ground
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mug — a face
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. land — a country
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pop — soda
  24. fan — a supporter

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