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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. current — happening now
  3. lie — to recline
  4. game — wild animals
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mate — a friend
  9. current — electric
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mug — a face
  13. board — a committee
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. band — a ring
  17. mate — a partner
  18. game — a match
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mug — a cup
  21. board — to get on
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rash — hasty
  24. current — of water

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