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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mate — to breed
  11. court — for sport
  12. tube — a container
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. court — of a king
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mate — a friend
  23. court — of law
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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