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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rest — a break
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mate — a friend
  7. scale — in music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mate — a partner
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — size or range

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