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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bat — the animal
  4. track — a path
  5. charge — in control
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lean — to bend
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. row — a line
  15. row — to paddle
  16. track — a song
  17. lean — thin
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — a price
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. mouse — for a computer

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