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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mate — a partner
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mine — for digging
  11. present — a gift
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. present — the time now
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — a stone
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. present — there
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rock — 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