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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mate — a friend
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. shower — rain
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lie — to recline
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — to breed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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