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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mate — a partner
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pound — a weight
  10. field — farmland
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. field — for sport
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mug — to rob
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rash — hasty
  19. field — a subject
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rash — a series
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mug — a face
  24. jam — a tight spot

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