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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pop — to visit
  4. club — a group
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. season — in sport
  9. pop — music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. season — of the year
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mate — to breed
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pop — soda
  16. club — for golf
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. file — a tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. file — a document
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bowl — a dish

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