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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rest — what's left
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. can — a tin
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rest — a break
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. can — to be able to
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pit — a hole
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. can — a tin
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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