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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. row — a line
  3. race — humankind
  4. cue — a hint
  5. craft — a skill
  6. firm — a company
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. craft — boats
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. race — the arms race
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. row — to paddle
  13. wake — a trail
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. race — a contest
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. row — a quarrel

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