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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 116 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mate — a friend
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mug — a face
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lean — thin
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fine — all right
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rest — a break
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wave — of the sea

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