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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bore — to tire
  3. toast — bread
  4. club — for golf
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. club — for dancing
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. dip — to sink
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fine — all right
  14. club — a group
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. face — to confront
  18. bore — to drill
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mate — a partner

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