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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mark — a trace
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. band — a ring
  12. chip — for betting
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — a list
  22. band — a music group
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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