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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. face — part of the head
  3. race — the arms race
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pound — a weight
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. race — humankind
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cue — a hint
  10. race — a contest
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cue — for pool
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stock — goods
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pass — a permit
  20. face — to confront
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cue — a signal

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