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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. chest — a box
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rock — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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