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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. suit — clothes
  4. last — to go on
  5. squash — to crush
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. last — finally
  8. branch — a division
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. squash — the sport
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. current — happening now
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. current — electric
  19. suit — in cards
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. current — of water
  22. last — final
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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