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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. club — a group
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mate — a friend
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — in cards
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. club — for golf
  13. suit — to fit
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hand — help
  17. present — the time now
  18. mate — a partner
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. hand — in cards
  21. present — a gift
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. present — there

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