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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mug — a face
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bass — the fish
  19. saw — the tool
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — low music

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