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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. tube — a container
  3. can — a tin
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. track — a path
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. wake — a trail
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bat — the animal
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. track — a song
  18. can — to be able to
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. tube — the underground
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — to keep track

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