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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — to handle
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rash — a series
  9. shower — rain
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. charge — in control
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rash — hasty
  17. charge — a price
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fine — all right
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fine — high quality

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