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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pound — a weight
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rock — music
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. degree — temperature
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. suit — clothes
  13. race — a contest
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bat — the animal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. degree — an amount
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. race — humankind
  24. suit — in cards

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