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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — a match
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — a friend
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bear — the animal
  12. season — of the year
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. season — in sport
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mate — to breed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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