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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. present — the time now
  3. spring — of water
  4. bat — the animal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. spring — the season
  9. present — there
  10. spring — a coil
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — to crush
  21. present — a gift
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pit — in a race
  24. hide — to keep secret

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