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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. race — humankind
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. club — a group
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pop — to visit
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pop — music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pop — soda
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — hurry
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. race — a contest

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