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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mug — a face
  8. band — a music group
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. race — humankind
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mug — to rob
  16. race — the arms race
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. race — a contest
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. kick — in football
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mug — a cup
  23. band — a ring
  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