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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fine — all right
  3. pop — to visit
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rest — a break
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — steady
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pop — soda
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. staff — employees
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — a stick
  20. firm — a company
  21. fine — high quality
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rest — what's left

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