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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. tear — from crying
  3. squash — the sport
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. hand — help
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fine — all right
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mug — a face
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mug — a cup

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