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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. ground — the earth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bat — the animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ground — a position
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pass — a permit
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ground — crushed
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bat — in an idiom

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