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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — a partner
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. firm — decided
  11. mate — to breed
  12. band — a ring
  13. present — there
  14. dip — to sink
  15. present — a gift
  16. firm — steady
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — a company
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rule — a law
  21. present — the time now
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. band — a music group
  24. rule — government

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