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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. cell — in biology
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mark — a trace
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lean — thin
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rest — a break
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bat — the animal
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cell — a phone
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lean — to bend
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rest — what's left

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