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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. club — for golf
  4. press — to push
  5. row — a line
  6. firm — steady
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. firm — a company
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pop — soda
  12. spell — magic
  13. firm — decided
  14. stem — to come from
  15. press — a publisher
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. club — a group
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. spell — letters
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. toast — bread
  23. club — for dancing
  24. spell — a short time

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