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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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 a prison
  3. net — in sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cell — a phone
  12. net — after costs
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bat — the animal
  24. net — for catching

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