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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mug — a face
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. present — there
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rush — hurry
  17. present — a gift
  18. mug — to rob
  19. present — the time now
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wake — before a funeral

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