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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. scale — in music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. key — the most important part
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. key — in music
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mate — to breed
  16. scale — size or range
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. club — for golf
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. tube — a container
  24. pass — a permit

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