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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. shower — to wash
  3. suit — clothes
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mug — a cup
  7. capital — a city
  8. shower — rain
  9. charge — electricity
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — in cards
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mug — a face
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mug — to rob
  22. date — the fruit
  23. mate — a friend
  24. suit — to fit

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