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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pop — music
  4. mug — a face
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mug — a cup
  8. march — music
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stand — to bear
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mate — a partner
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pop — soda
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stand — on your feet

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