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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lean — to bend
  6. suit — clothes
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bore — to drill
  9. race — a contest
  10. mate — to breed
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lean — thin
  13. bound — certain
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mate — a partner
  16. suit — in cards
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mark — a grade
  21. snap — to click
  22. bound — obliged
  23. race — humankind
  24. mark — a trace

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