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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · scale · leaves · safe · mug · bear · club · wind

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wind — moving air
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mug — to rob
  6. scale — size or range
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mug — a face
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mug — a cup
  14. scale — in music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. club — a group
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. club — for golf
  24. bat — the animal

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