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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. present — the time now
  3. squash — the sport
  4. suit — in cards
  5. present — there
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mark — a trace
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mate — to breed
  12. present — a gift
  13. squash — to crush
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mark — a grade
  16. drill — army training
  17. mate — a partner
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mate — a friend
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rush — hurry
  23. suit — to fit
  24. kid — child

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