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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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a dance
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mate — a partner
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mate — to breed
  15. board — to get on
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. perch — the fish
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cap — a lid
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — a committee
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ball — a great time

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