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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. suit — clothes
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mate — a friend
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chair — a leader
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fan — to cool the air

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