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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. land — a country
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mate — a friend
  5. land — ground
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rest — what's left
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rest — what's left
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. chair — a leader
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. land — to come down
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — to breed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. suit — in cards
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rest — a break

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