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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. present — a gift
  3. rock — a stone
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bat — the animal
  6. wind — moving air
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. present — the time now
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. present — there
  24. wind — moving air

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