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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rash — hasty
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mate — a partner
  10. spell — letters
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spell — magic
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rash — a series
  18. mate — to breed
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. saw — the tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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