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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. can — to be able to
  5. key — in music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mug — to rob
  9. saw — the tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mate — a partner
  14. key — for a lock
  15. degree — an amount
  16. key — the most important part
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. degree — temperature
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mug — a face
  24. degree — from a university

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