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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. rest — a break
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pitch — completely
  6. scale — in music
  7. tube — a container
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ground — crushed
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — a thing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. object — an aim
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. object — to protest
  22. bat — the animal
  23. ground — a position
  24. rest — what's left

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