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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. dip — to sink
  3. saw — the tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bat — the animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bat — for baseball

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