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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bass — low music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rest — a break
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. swing — music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wax — to grow
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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