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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rule — a law
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rule — government
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chest — a box
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. charge — in control
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mark — a grade
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — a price
  24. mark — to pay attention

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