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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to tire
  3. game — wild animals
  4. object — to protest
  5. game — a match
  6. court — of law
  7. object — an aim
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rest — a break
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mate — to breed
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mate — a partner
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. object — a thing
  24. pass — to spend time

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