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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bound — obliged
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. land — ground
  8. charge — a price
  9. land — to come down
  10. bound — certain
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. charge — electricity
  14. land — a country
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. charge — in control
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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