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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lean — thin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bat — for baseball

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