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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pop — soda
  5. cell — in biology
  6. suit — in cards
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bark — to shout
  13. object — an aim
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. drill — a practice
  19. object — to protest
  20. cell — a phone
  21. drill — army training
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. object — a thing
  24. pop — to visit

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