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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mug — a face
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. race — the arms race
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mug — a cup
  13. race — humankind
  14. pound — a weight
  15. race — a contest
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. vault — a safe

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