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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 120 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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ball — a dance
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. game — wild animals
  9. ball — a great time
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bound — certain
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mark — a trace
  23. game — a match
  24. bound — obliged

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