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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · mug · ground · land · present · mate · fine · cap

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. present — the time now
  3. rest — a break
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — a position
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fine — high quality
  9. present — a gift
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mug — to rob
  12. land — to come down
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fine — all right
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mug — a face
  20. ground — the earth
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. present — there
  24. ground — crushed

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