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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bat — the animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. cell — a phone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bore — to drill
  20. saw — the tool
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. toast — bread

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