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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. spring — of water
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mug — to rob
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mate — to breed
  10. spring — the season
  11. mate — a friend
  12. club — for golf
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bat — the animal
  19. club — a group
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. club — for dancing

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