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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. land — to come down
  3. clip — a video
  4. land — ground
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mate — a partner
  8. clip — to cut
  9. land — a country
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mate — to breed
  16. clip — for paper
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — to pay attention

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