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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. pop — music
  5. mate — to breed
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. land — to come down
  14. drill — the tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mug — to rob
  18. drill — army training
  19. net — for catching
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pop — soda
  22. net — after costs
  23. land — ground
  24. land — a country

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