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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. track — a path
  12. mate — a friend
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. track — a song
  17. last — finally
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mate — a partner
  24. track — to keep track

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