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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mate — to breed
  5. kid — to tease
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. season — in sport
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. drill — a practice
  15. staff — employees
  16. kid — child
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. drill — army training
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. scale — in music
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mate — a friend
  24. scale — size or range

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