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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. key — in music
  3. foot — a measure
  4. tube — the underground
  5. can — to be able to
  6. key — the most important part
  7. perch — the fish
  8. can — a tin
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pop — soda
  11. can — a tin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rock — a stone
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rock — music
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. deal — to handle
  22. tube — a container
  23. pop — to visit
  24. deal — a big deal

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