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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. season — in sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — the most important part
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. key — for a lock
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. season — of the year
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cue — a signal
  23. key — in music
  24. cue — a hint

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