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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rush — hurry
  4. degree — from a university
  5. suit — clothes
  6. club — a group
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — for dancing
  12. lean — thin
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. track — a path
  15. degree — an amount
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lean — to bend
  20. degree — temperature
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. club — for golf

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