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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pop — music
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fork — in a road
  6. present — there
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pop — soda
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. present — the time now
  17. row — a line
  18. rock — a stone
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lean — thin
  22. present — a gift
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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