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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — to drill
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. track — a path
  6. mate — to breed
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. track — to keep track
  9. foot — a measure
  10. track — a song
  11. kick — in football
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bore — to tire
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lie — an untruth
  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