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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — music
  5. kick — in football
  6. ball — a dance
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rock — a stone
  12. band — a music group
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ball — a great time
  15. band — a ring
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ball — a round shape

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