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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mate — a partner
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fall — to drop
  10. present — there
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bound — certain
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fall — the season
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a grade
  24. present — a gift

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