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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kid — to tease
  7. stand — to bear
  8. current — happening now
  9. kid — child
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. current — electric
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mug — a face
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rash — hasty
  23. current — of water
  24. pit — a hole

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