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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. firm — decided
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. scale — size or range
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hand — help
  11. fine — all right
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. fall — the season
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pop — to visit
  20. hand — in cards
  21. scale — in music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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