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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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 — to breed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. rest — what's left
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. land — to come down
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rest — a break
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. content — the amount
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. content — happy
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mate — a friend
  21. land — ground
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. suit — in cards
  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