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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mate — to breed
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — a company
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mate — a friend
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lean — to bend
  12. ball — a great time
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — thin
  17. pitch — completely
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. game — a match
  24. saw — the tool

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