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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mug — to rob
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. suit — clothes
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mug — a cup
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. mug — a face
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. craft — boats
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. suit — to fit
  20. roll — a list
  21. suit — in cards
  22. charge — electricity
  23. roll — a cake
  24. racket — a loud noise

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