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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. snap — to click
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. staff — employees
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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