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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. clip — a video
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fall — the season
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. saw — the tool
  10. clip — to cut
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bat — the animal
  23. clip — for paper
  24. nail — for a hammer

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