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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rush — hurry
  7. tube — a container
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mug — a cup
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. stem — to come from
  19. squash — the sport
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. squash — to crush
  23. mate — to breed
  24. suit — in cards

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