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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rock — music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rock — a stone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pop — soda
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  24. wave — with your hand

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