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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. row — to paddle
  4. current — electric
  5. row — a line
  6. kick — in football
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. current — happening now
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. current — of water
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. lean — thin
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bat — the animal

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