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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. spring — a coil
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. clip — a video
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. clip — for paper
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. clip — to cut
  13. spring — of water
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — to bear
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. spring — the season
  23. toast — bread
  24. stand — for spectators

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