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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a music group
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mate — a partner
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bear — the animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lie — to recline

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