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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. toast — bread
  8. rock — music
  9. rule — a law
  10. suit — in cards
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. suit — to fit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mate — to breed
  20. present — the time now
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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