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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. cap — a lid
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. saw — the tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. march — the month
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — a hat
  21. firm — decided
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. firm — a company

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