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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cap — of ice
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. season — in sport
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mug — a cup
  10. band — a music group
  11. mug — to rob
  12. band — a ring
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mate — to breed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. season — of the year
  18. cap — a lid
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mug — a face
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pitch — completely

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