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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rash — hasty
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — in music
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rash — a series
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — a grade
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mate — a partner
  14. key — for a lock
  15. cap — a lid
  16. present — a gift
  17. key — the most important part
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. present — there
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mate — to breed
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. present — the time now

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