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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fine — high quality
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rest — a break
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fine — all right
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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