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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. race — humankind
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. degree — from a university
  14. rash — a series
  15. degree — an amount
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rash — hasty
  18. sharp — clever
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mug — to rob

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