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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cell — a phone
  4. suit — in cards
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. net — for catching
  10. track — a song
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. track — a path
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — clothes
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — after costs
  17. board — a committee
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cell — in biology

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