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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. key — the most important part
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fall — the season
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. key — in music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — a price
  22. fall — to drop
  23. charge — in control
  24. ruler — for measuring

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