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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mine — for digging
  3. object — an aim
  4. root — of a plant
  5. object — a thing
  6. root — of a word
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — the cause
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. object — to protest
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. last — to go on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. last — finally
  22. last — final
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mate — a friend

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