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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. foot — a measure
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. lie — to recline
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. toast — bread
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rule — government
  12. kid — child
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pound — a weight
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. kid — to tease
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rule — a law

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