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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. pop — music
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fine — all right
  10. pop — soda
  11. stock — goods
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rock — music
  24. ball — a round shape

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