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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bank — for money
  3. last — final
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. last — finally
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bank — for money
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mate — a friend
  15. net — in sport
  16. rush — hurry
  17. can — a tin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. last — to go on
  21. net — after costs
  22. can — to be able to
  23. net — for catching
  24. prune — to trim

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