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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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 — the animal
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. toast — bread
  7. fine — all right
  8. roll — a list
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. object — to protest
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. object — a thing
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. snap — to click
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. roll — a cake
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. vault — a safe
  21. object — an aim
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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