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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bat — the animal
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — to come from
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bear — the animal
  15. tube — a container
  16. board — a committee
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — to get on
  21. rash — hasty
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. tube — the underground

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