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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mug — a face
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. race — a contest
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. race — humankind
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bass — low music
  17. wound — an injury
  18. fine — all right
  19. mug — a cup
  20. race — the arms race
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mug — to rob

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