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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mate — a friend
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. charge — in control
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mate — a partner
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. charge — a price

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