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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rest — a break
  14. bat — the animal
  15. spring — the season
  16. squash — the sport
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. spring — of water
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spring — a coil
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. squash — to crush

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