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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — a trace
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fork — in a road
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bat — the animal
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bore — to tire
  24. foot — a measure

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