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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cap — of ice
  7. band — a ring
  8. track — a song
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. band — a music group
  12. mate — a friend
  13. craft — boats
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. cap — a hat
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cap — a lid
  21. track — to keep track
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pass — a permit
  24. track — a path

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