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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mate — to breed
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. object — a thing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pound — a weight
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. object — to protest
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — in biology
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. lie — to recline
  18. date — the fruit
  19. object — an aim
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mate — a partner

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