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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. suit — to fit
  3. net — in sport
  4. suit — clothes
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. net — for catching
  7. charge — in control
  8. clip — to cut
  9. net — after costs
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mate — to breed
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. clip — a video
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. clip — for paper
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mate — a partner
  24. calf — of the leg

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