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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lean — thin
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. toast — bread
  6. can — a tin
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bat — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rock — music
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. chip — for betting
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. lean — to bend

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