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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — letters
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. club — a group
  9. pop — soda
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. club — for golf
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. spell — magic
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. club — for dancing
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bass — low 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