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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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Word bank
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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kick — in football
  10. pit — a hole
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mate — to breed
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — in a race
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mug — a face

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