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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — there
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fine — all right
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. firm — a company
  10. lean — thin
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — temperature
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. present — the time now
  17. firm — decided
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. present — a gift
  20. fine — high quality
  21. degree — from a university
  22. firm — steady
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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