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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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 — to breed
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ball — a great time
  4. present — the time now
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fork — in a road
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fine — all right
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mate — a friend
  15. present — a gift
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. present — there
  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