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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 120 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. mate — a friend
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pop — soda
  8. suit — in cards
  9. perch — the fish
  10. race — the arms race
  11. craft — a skill
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mate — a partner
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pop — music
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. craft — boats
  24. perch — for a bird

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