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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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. race — humankind
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. chip — to eat
  7. suit — to fit
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. shower — rain
  15. band — a ring
  16. race — a contest
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — a break
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rest — what's left
  22. shower — to wash
  23. band — a music group
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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