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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 116 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bound — certain
  5. kid — child
  6. bound — obliged
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bound — tied together
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mug — a cup
  14. suit — to fit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mug — a face
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stand — for spectators

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