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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bass — low music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mate — to breed
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bore — to drill
  13. deal — to handle
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. toast — bread
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. snap — to click
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mate — a friend

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