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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 124 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. march — music
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mug — to rob
  8. game — a match
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. present — the time now
  11. dip — to sink
  12. present — a gift
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. march — the month
  19. can — a tin
  20. march — the month
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pass — a permit
  23. can — a tin
  24. pass — to succeed

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