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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wind — moving air
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fine — high quality
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. drill — a practice
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. stock — shares
  12. foot — a measure
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — goods
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bat — the animal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. drill — army training
  24. suit — in cards

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