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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mate — to breed
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rock — a stone
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. current — of water
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rock — music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. current — happening now
  17. rush — hurry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fine — all right
  20. mate — a friend
  21. game — a match
  22. fine — high quality
  23. current — electric
  24. hide — animal skin

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