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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. key — in music
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bass — low music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. land — a country
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rush — hurry
  18. charge — a price
  19. land — to come down
  20. key — for a lock
  21. land — ground
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pop — music

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