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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 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. net — in sport
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. row — a line
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. bay — a horse colour

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