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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. season — in sport
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wake — a trail
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. suit — clothes
  16. season — of the year
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mate — to breed
  19. roll — a list
  20. suit — to fit
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — in cards

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