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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. ball — a great time
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. tear — from crying
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cue — a signal

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