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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mate — to breed
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pop — soda
  7. file — a document
  8. craft — boats
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pop — to visit
  11. perch — the fish
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pop — music
  17. fine — all right
  18. file — a tool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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