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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. firm — a company
  3. cold — an illness
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. firm — steady
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. suit — to fit
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bat — the animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cold — not warm
  20. can — to be able to
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. firm — decided

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