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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bound — tied together
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mate — a partner
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pass — a permit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — a face
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mate — to breed
  14. stock — shares
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stock — goods
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bound — certain
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mug — to rob
  24. dip — to sink

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