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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mate — to breed
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ball — a great time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lie — to recline
  16. drill — army training
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fan — a supporter

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