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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fine — all right
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pop — soda
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bore — to tire
  18. band — a ring
  19. fine — high quality
  20. band — a music group
  21. bore — to drill
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stem — a stem cell

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