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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — to get on
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. board — a committee
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. shower — to wash
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. shower — rain
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bat — the animal
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mate — a partner
  24. charge — in control

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