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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mug — a face
  4. net — after costs
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mate — a friend
  8. game — a match
  9. suit — in cards
  10. current — of water
  11. game — wild animals
  12. current — electric
  13. rush — hurry
  14. net — in sport
  15. mate — to breed
  16. current — happening now
  17. net — for catching
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. suit — clothes

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