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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. swing — to play on
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — in music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pop — to visit
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rule — a law

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