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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pop — soda
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rock — music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. land — ground
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. land — a country
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ball — a dance
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. land — to come down
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — low music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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