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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. charge — in control
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. charge — electricity
  13. craft — boats
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. wind — moving air
  17. race — humankind
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. cue — a hint
  22. charge — a price
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. craft — a skill

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