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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 124 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mug — a face
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mug — a cup
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pound — a weight
  20. drill — the tool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. drill — army training
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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