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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. suit — in cards
  3. race — the arms race
  4. capital — a city
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bass — the fish
  7. capital — money
  8. staff — a stick
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. race — humankind
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. race — a contest
  18. staff — employees
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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