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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. craft — boats
  5. wound — an injury
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. staff — employees
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. key — the most important part
  19. toast — bread
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. racket — for tennis

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