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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 116 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. present — there
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. net — for catching
  5. mate — to breed
  6. net — after costs
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. net — in sport
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. present — the time now
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. present — a gift
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rest — a break
  21. mate — a friend
  22. key — in music
  23. bark — to shout
  24. hide — to keep secret

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