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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. wake — a trail
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bat — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. nail — on a finger

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