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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ball — a great time
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. spell — magic
  12. pop — soda
  13. spell — letters
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — low music
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — a permit
  18. band — a ring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pop — to visit
  21. club — a group
  22. band — a music group
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. club — for dancing

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