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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. cue — a hint
  6. suit — clothes
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mate — a friend
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — a signal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rule — a law
  16. suit — in cards
  17. face — part of the head
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. face — to confront
  20. rule — government
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rule — to rule out

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