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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bat — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. stock — shares
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mate — a partner
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stock — goods
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. wound — an injury
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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