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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. fall — to drop
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pit — in a race
  8. deal — to handle
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pop — soda
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fall — the season
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bat — the animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pop — music

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