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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 120 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — to go on
  8. firm — a company
  9. bound — certain
  10. firm — steady
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. firm — decided
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. last — final
  17. last — finally
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. squash — to crush
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. squash — the vegetable

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