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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spring — of water
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — a coil
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bat — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mark — a trace
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. spring — the season
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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