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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cue — for pool
  3. land — ground
  4. bank — for money
  5. toast — bread
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. land — a country
  9. cell — in biology
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. land — to come down
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cue — a hint
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bank — for money
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bank — of a river
  23. can — a tin
  24. temple — side of the head

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