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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mate — a partner
  5. toast — bread
  6. bat — the animal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mate — a friend
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. craft — boats
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fine — all right
  21. tube — the underground
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fine — high quality

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