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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. degree — temperature
  7. net — in sport
  8. degree — from a university
  9. staff — a stick
  10. net — for catching
  11. staff — employees
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. staff — employees
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mate — a partner
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. net — after costs
  24. degree — an amount

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