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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. object — an aim
  7. bound — obliged
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stand — to bear

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