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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. chest — a box
  12. bass — low music
  13. cold — an illness
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cold — not warm
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. chest — of your body

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