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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. shower — rain
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stock — goods
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. shower — to wash
  16. stock — shares
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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