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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. net — for catching
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fine — all right
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. net — after costs
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. date — the fruit
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mug — a face
  20. lean — thin
  21. fine — high quality
  22. net — in sport
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mate — to breed

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