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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bound — certain
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bound — tied together
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bound — obliged
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. tube — a container
  16. spell — letters
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. spell — a short time
  22. tube — the underground
  23. spell — magic
  24. mouse — the animal

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