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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. land — to come down
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. land — a country
  10. mate — a friend
  11. board — to get on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mate — a partner
  19. board — a committee
  20. land — ground
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mouse — the animal
  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