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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bass — low music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bass — the fish
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pop — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pop — soda
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. nail — on a finger

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