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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rock — a stone
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bat — the animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. season — of the year
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rock — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fan — to cool the air

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