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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. march — the month
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rash — hasty
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. object — an aim
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. march — music
  19. craft — boats
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rash — a series
  24. march — the month

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