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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mark — a trace
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bat — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. chair — a leader
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mark — to pay attention

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