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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cue — a hint
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fork — in a road
  10. race — a contest
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pound — a weight
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pound — to hit hard

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