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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. firm — a company
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a hat
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — a thing
  11. wound — an injury
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. object — to protest
  17. firm — steady
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. object — an aim
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — to hit hard

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