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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mate — a partner
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mate — to breed
  14. game — a match
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mate — a friend
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. game — a kind of play

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