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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · bore · safe · present · ball · snap · suit · land

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. suit — clothes
  3. present — the time now
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. suit — to fit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. land — ground
  10. ball — a dance
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. land — a country
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. present — a gift
  16. ball — a great time
  17. present — there
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bore — to tire
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — in cards
  24. snap — to click

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