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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bass — low music
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bass — the fish
  11. shower — to wash
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. shower — rain
  17. mate — a friend
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. ball — a dance
  22. squash — to crush
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. suit — in cards

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