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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pop — soda
  7. drill — army training
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. firm — steady
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. firm — decided
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pop — music
  17. firm — a company
  18. net — for catching
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bulb — of a plant

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