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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bat — the animal
  3. spell — magic
  4. saw — the tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. object — a thing
  8. bore — to drill
  9. object — to protest
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. spell — letters
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spell — a short time
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — to tire
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. object — an aim

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