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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. can — a tin
  3. mate — a partner
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. can — a tin
  7. roll — a list
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mate — to breed
  14. deal — to handle
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. net — after costs
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — to be able to
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. roll — a cake

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