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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. dip — to sink
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bore — to drill
  13. firm — a company
  14. bore — to tire
  15. firm — steady
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bat — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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