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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. fine — all right
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stand — to bear
  13. board — to get on
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — a committee
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ball — a dance

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