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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. season — of the year
  4. tear — to rip
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. tear — from crying
  10. season — in sport
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pop — soda
  13. firm — decided
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. firm — steady
  16. craft — boats
  17. tear — from crying
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pound — a weight
  21. firm — a company
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pop — to visit

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