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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pass — a permit
  24. chip — for betting

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