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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rush — hurry
  6. toast — bread
  7. face — to confront
  8. suit — clothes
  9. present — there
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rest — a break
  14. mate — to breed
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. present — the time now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. face — part of the head

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