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

Word bank: arm · cue · mug · cell · rock · pound · suit · clip

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. clip — to cut
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. cell — in biology
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mug — a face
  17. clip — a video
  18. mug — a cup
  19. clip — for paper
  20. cell — a phone
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rock — music

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