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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. pass — a permit
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. rash — a series
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rash — hasty
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mate — a friend
  15. can — a tin
  16. pound — a weight
  17. board — a committee
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. board — to get on
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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