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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mate — a friend
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rest — a break
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. rock — music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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