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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — to keep track
  4. wake — a trail
  5. track — a song
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. band — a ring
  10. suit — clothes
  11. race — humankind
  12. track — a path
  13. suit — in cards
  14. shower — to wash
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. shower — rain
  17. pop — soda
  18. band — a music group
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pop — to visit
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. suit — to fit

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