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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. staff — employees
  3. mate — a partner
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. present — the time now
  7. bear — the animal
  8. staff — a stick
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — there
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mate — a friend
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. present — a gift
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. staff — employees

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