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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mate — to breed
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. content — happy
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mate — a partner
  7. content — the amount
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rock — a stone
  12. drill — army training
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rock — music
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. drill — a practice
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mate — a friend

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