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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. mate — to breed
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. tear — to rip
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bore — to tire
  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