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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. dip — to sink
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. dip — to dunk

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