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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. can — a tin
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. tube — a container
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bear — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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