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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. current — happening now
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cue — a signal
  8. spring — the season
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — decided
  11. mine — for digging
  12. spring — a coil
  13. current — of water
  14. firm — steady
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. firm — a company
  17. spring — of water
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — electric
  22. cue — a hint
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cue — for pool

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