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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a friend
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mate — a partner
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cue — for pool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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