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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. last — final
  6. mate — a friend
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. charge — a price
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bear — the animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pit — in a race
  24. staff — a stick

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