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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — a match
  5. key — in music
  6. game — wild animals
  7. mug — a face
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stock — goods
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bore — to drill
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stock — shares
  16. board — to get on
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mug — a cup
  21. board — a committee
  22. mate — a partner
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mate — a friend

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