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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — thin
  4. cap — a lid
  5. object — to protest
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mug — a face
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mug — a cup
  17. spring — of water
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. object — a thing
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mug — to rob
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. object — an aim

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