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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. object — a thing
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mug — a face
  7. object — an aim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pop — soda
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bass — the fish
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mug — to rob
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bass — low music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. object — to protest

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