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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. club — for dancing
  3. face — part of the head
  4. content — the amount
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. content — happy
  7. hand — help
  8. club — a group
  9. drill — army training
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. face — to point toward
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rush — hurry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. club — for golf
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. face — to confront
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. drill — a practice
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. drill — the tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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