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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. march — music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. march — the month
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bore — to drill
  17. snap — to click
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mug — to rob
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mug — a face
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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