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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chest — of your body
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bore — to tire
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rest — a break
  15. bore — to drill
  16. object — to protest
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chest — a box
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bore — gave birth

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