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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stand — to bear
  5. band — a ring
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cap — a hat
  17. band — a music group
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cap — of ice
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mate — a friend
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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