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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. key — in music
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bat — the animal
  11. present — a gift
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. mouse — for a computer

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