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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pop — soda
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cue — for pool
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pop — to visit
  9. race — humankind
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — a contest
  13. cue — a signal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cue — a hint
  18. straw — dry grass

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