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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mug — to rob
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pass — a permit
  11. face — to confront
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. face — to point toward
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. face — part of the head
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bulb — for light

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