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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. kid — to tease
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. kid — child
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mate — a partner
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. can — a tin
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bat — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wake — a trail

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