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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. track — a path
  4. object — a thing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. craft — a skill
  10. track — a song
  11. rest — a break
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mate — a friend
  14. object — to protest
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. scale — in music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. craft — boats
  21. object — an aim
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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