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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. track — a path
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chair — a leader
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. swing — in golf
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. swing — music
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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