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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pitch — completely
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fork — in a road
  23. staff — employees
  24. foot — part of the body

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