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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bat — the animal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. race — a contest
  6. cue — a hint
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rock — music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. board — to get on
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cue — a signal
  17. tube — a container
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. rock — a stone
  20. race — humankind
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. board — a committee

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