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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mate — to breed
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cap — a hat
  6. tear — from crying
  7. fine — all right
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. tear — to rip
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cap — of ice
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. toast — bread
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rush — to hurry

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