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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mug — to rob
  4. club — a group
  5. tear — to rip
  6. club — for golf
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. club — for dancing
  10. march — music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. march — the month
  14. mug — a cup
  15. tear — from crying
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mug — a face
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pitch — completely
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tear — from crying
  22. march — the month
  23. bound — certain
  24. pitch — a sports field

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