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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. spring — a coil
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spring — the season
  11. object — to protest
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — a price
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bat — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spring — of water
  20. charge — in control
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bat — for baseball

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