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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. track — a path
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mug — a face
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mate — a partner
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pound — a weight
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lie — to recline
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mug — to rob
  23. track — a song
  24. press — to push

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