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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 120 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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. squash — the vegetable
  4. rock — a stone
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rock — music
  12. net — after costs
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. net — in sport
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. dip — to sink
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. net — for catching
  24. bat — 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