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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mate — a partner
  4. object — a thing
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cue — a signal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. march — music
  15. mate — a friend
  16. object — to protest
  17. march — the month
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lie — an untruth

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