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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — a partner
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rest — what's left
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hand — help
  18. rest — a break
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mate — to breed
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bat — for baseball

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