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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. race — a contest
  4. staff — employees
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. date — the fruit
  11. race — humankind
  12. staff — employees
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. staff — a stick
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. race — the arms race
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — in traffic

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