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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mate — to breed
  3. net — for catching
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mate — a partner
  6. tear — to rip
  7. mate — a friend
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. tear — from crying

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