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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stand — to bear
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bore — to tire
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mark — a trace

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