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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mug — a face
  4. bat — the animal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. last — final
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. last — to go on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mug — to rob
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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