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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. suit — to fit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — a trail
  10. file — a line of people
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. file — a document
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — in cards
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bat — the animal
  23. file — a tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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