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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. tear — from crying
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pass — a permit
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lean — to bend
  11. tear — from crying
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lean — thin
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tear — to rip
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. squash — the sport
  20. toast — bread
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. suit — to fit

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