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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. court — for sport
  5. bass — low music
  6. rest — a break
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rest — what's left
  9. court — of a king
  10. roll — a list
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bound — obliged
  19. court — of law
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bound — certain

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