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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. kid — child
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mate — a partner
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. season — of the year
  17. can — a tin
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. season — in sport
  21. fork — in a road
  22. can — a tin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mate — a friend

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