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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. spell — letters
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cap — a lid
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mine — belonging to me

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