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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. suit — clothes
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bound — obliged
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. hide — animal skin

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