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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. race — the arms race
  3. track — a path
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. race — humankind
  7. court — of law
  8. track — a song
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. court — for sport
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. race — a contest
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cue — for pool
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cue — a hint
  24. court — of a king

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