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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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Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mug — a face
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rash — hasty
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rash — a series
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. can — a tin
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cell — in biology
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cell — a phone
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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