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

Word bank: deal · mark · wave · drill · dip · racket · arm · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mark — a trace
  4. drill — the tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. drill — a practice
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mark — a grade
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. drill — army training
  21. bat — the animal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. racket — for tennis

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