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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. object — to protest
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bat — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. cell — in biology
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. pass — to spend time

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