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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. can — a tin
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fall — the season
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — the animal
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. fall — to drop
  11. swing — music
  12. object — a thing
  13. rest — a break
  14. swing — in golf
  15. object — an aim
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pit — in a race
  20. object — to protest
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pitcher — a jug

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