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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. club — a group
  3. fine — all right
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mate — to breed
  8. face — part of the head
  9. club — for golf
  10. fine — high quality
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bore — to tire
  13. face — to point toward
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. face — to confront
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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