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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. tube — the underground
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. pound — a weight
  16. rash — a series
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. drill — a practice
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. sharp — clever
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fine — all right

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