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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. drill — army training
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. present — there
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. drill — a practice
  17. suit — clothes
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pop — to visit
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. present — a gift
  24. pop — soda

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