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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rest — a break
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mate — a friend

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