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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stock — shares
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stock — goods
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. object — an aim
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. object — a thing
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bat — the animal
  24. stock — a soup base

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