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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 found your soul ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bound — certain
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. march — the month
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mate — to breed
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — to drill
  17. toast — bread
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bound — tied together
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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