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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mate — to breed
  5. can — to be able to
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. chair — a leader
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. scale — in music
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mate — a partner
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pop — music

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