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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. band — a ring
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pop — soda
  10. drill — army training
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. band — a music group
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. drill — the tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wake — before a funeral

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