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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pop — soda
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fine — high quality
  7. current — electric
  8. bass — low music
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — the fish
  12. current — happening now
  13. rock — music
  14. current — of water
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pop — to visit
  17. march — the month
  18. pop — music
  19. track — a song
  20. march — music
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. march — the month
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. track — a path

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