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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. object — an aim
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a dance
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wake — a trail
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mate — a friend
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. object — a thing
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. object — to protest

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