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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. charge — a price
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. key — for a lock
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — in control
  9. pit — a hole
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. spell — letters
  17. bat — the animal
  18. spell — magic
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pit — in a race
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. spell — a short time

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