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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. firm — steady
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mug — a face
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pound — a weight
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mug — to rob
  16. sharp — clever
  17. race — humankind
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. race — a contest
  20. firm — decided
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. march — music
  23. firm — a company
  24. pound — for dogs

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