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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. spell — a short time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pass — a permit
  11. spell — magic
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mate — a partner
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rock — music
  17. spell — letters
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. snap — to click
  22. mate — a friend
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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