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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. firm — decided
  3. cap — of ice
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a tool
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. cap — a lid
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. pound — a weight
  11. squash — the sport
  12. cap — a hat
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. squash — to crush
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bound — tied together

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