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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — a cup
  7. last — final
  8. mate — a partner
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bass — low music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mug — a face
  19. dip — to sink
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. last — finally
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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