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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · race · object · wake · mouse · craft · court · pop

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pop — music
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pop — soda
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. race — humankind
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. race — a contest
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. court — of a king
  17. craft — a skill
  18. object — to protest
  19. court — for sport
  20. object — a thing
  21. court — of law
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — to visit

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