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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. rest — a break
  3. spring — a coil
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spring — of water
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spring — the season
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mate — to breed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mate — a partner
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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