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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. object — an aim
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mate — to breed
  6. press — newspapers
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bound — tied together
  10. object — a thing
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bound — certain
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bound — obliged
  16. press — to push
  17. ball — a great time
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — to protest

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