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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. file — a line of people
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. file — a tool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pitch — completely
  21. file — a document
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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