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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mate — a partner
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. mug — a cup
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bear — the animal
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. mug — a face
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mark — to pay attention

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