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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — a tool
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. staff — employees
  17. bear — the animal
  18. staff — a stick
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. nail — for a hammer

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