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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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 — for baseball
  2. tube — a container
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fall — the season
  7. charge — in control
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — electricity
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — a price
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. tube — the underground
  21. can — to be able to
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — a kind of play
  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