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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. board — to get on
  5. deal — to handle
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. net — after costs
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. net — for catching
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. net — in sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bound — certain
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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