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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. charge — electricity
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. hand — in cards
  11. shower — to wash
  12. hand — help
  13. stem — to come from
  14. suit — to fit
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mate — a partner
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wax — to grow
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a dance

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