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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fine — all right
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mate — a partner
  13. swing — music
  14. mug — a face
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. swing — to play on
  23. cap — a hat
  24. swing — in golf

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