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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wind — moving air
  3. object — a thing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pop — to visit
  8. object — to protest
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rock — a stone
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pop — music
  17. rock — music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bass — low music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — an aim
  24. rock — to move gently

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