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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bat — the animal
  8. rock — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. lean — to bend
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cell — a phone
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cell — in biology
  24. pitcher — a jug

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