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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mug — a face
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mate — a friend
  11. object — to protest
  12. can — a tin
  13. shower — to wash
  14. can — to be able to
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. object — an aim
  17. mug — to rob
  18. shower — rain
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — a thing
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pass — a permit

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