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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.

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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. fine — high quality
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bat — the animal
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. snap — to click
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fine — all right
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mouse — the animal

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