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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cap — a lid
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cap — a hat
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. present — the time now
  14. cap — of ice
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. present — a gift
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. present — there
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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