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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fine — high quality
  9. present — the time now
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. bat — the animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. board — to get on
  17. rest — a break
  18. board — a committee
  19. can — a tin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. present — there
  24. bat — for baseball

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