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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cue — for pool
  4. race — humankind
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. race — a contest
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cue — a hint

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