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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. race — a contest
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. object — a thing
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. firm — a company
  9. pound — a weight
  10. firm — steady
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. clip — to cut
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. race — humankind
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. firm — decided
  18. clip — a video
  19. lean — to bend
  20. clip — for paper
  21. lean — thin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. object — to protest
  24. race — the arms race

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