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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mate — to breed
  5. field — for sport
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mate — a friend
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. season — in sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. field — farmland
  23. season — of the year
  24. cell — in biology

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