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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — for pool
  3. row — to paddle
  4. last — to go on
  5. row — a line
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. pop — soda
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. last — finally
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. race — the arms race
  22. last — final
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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