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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. last — to go on
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. track — a song
  5. last — final
  6. sharp — clever
  7. track — a path
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. last — finally
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. track — to keep track
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. sharp — exactly

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