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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mate — to breed
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. can — a tin
  9. mate — a partner
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. cue — for pool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mark — a trace

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