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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wake — a trail
  3. staff — employees
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — farmland
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bulb — for light
  15. field — for sport
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. staff — employees
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. field — a subject
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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