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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ground — a position
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. race — humankind
  5. cue — for pool
  6. press — a publisher
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pop — to visit
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rest — a break
  14. press — to push
  15. rest — what's left
  16. plane — a tool
  17. race — a contest
  18. pop — soda
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ground — the earth
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pop — music

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