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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. object — an aim
  3. mate — a friend
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. staff — employees
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bat — the animal
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mate — a partner

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