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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. cue — a signal
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — a contest
  12. cue — a hint
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. race — humankind
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pass — a permit

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