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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tube — a container
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rest — a break
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. tube — the underground
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bat — the animal
  24. fall — the season

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