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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. mate — to breed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. can — to be able to
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — of water
  6. wound — an injury
  7. spring — a coil
  8. wound — an injury
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a friend
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mate — a partner
  15. chip — for betting
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — in cards
  19. can — a tin
  20. spring — the season
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — in a computer
  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