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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. sharp — clever
  3. spring — a coil
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mate — to breed
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mine — for digging
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. face — to point toward
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mug — a cup
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — of water
  19. face — part of the head
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. face — to confront
  22. mug — to rob
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mug — a face

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