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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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468
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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. drill — army training
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. drill — a practice
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mate — a partner
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. suit — to fit
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. suit — clothes

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