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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 124 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — a friend
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rock — music
  20. face — to confront
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spring — the season
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rock — a stone

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