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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bear — the animal
  3. land — a country
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. track — a path
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mate — to breed
  18. track — a song
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. land — to come down
  21. roll — a list
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. land — ground
  24. mate — a partner

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