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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. fine — all right
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bore — to tire
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stand — on your feet

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