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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. last — to go on
  3. object — a thing
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. object — an aim
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. last — finally
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. last — final
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. racket — for tennis

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