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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mate — to breed
  5. capital — money
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. season — of the year
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pass — a permit
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. squash — to crush
  20. season — in sport
  21. row — to paddle
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. capital — a city

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