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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lie — to recline
  3. march — the month
  4. present — a gift
  5. march — music
  6. mate — to breed
  7. present — the time now
  8. can — a tin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. can — a tin
  16. march — the month
  17. can — to be able to
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. dip — to sink

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