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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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468
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. deal — to handle
  13. tube — a container
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bat — the animal
  24. deal — a big deal

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