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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pop — soda
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. snap — to click
  7. pound — a weight
  8. row — a line
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. object — a thing
  11. swing — in golf
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. object — to protest
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. swing — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. object — an aim
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. swing — to play on
  24. stock — goods

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