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

Word bank: dip · mouse · bat · kid · pit · bear · nail · rest

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. kid — child
  3. pit — in a race
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kid — to tease
  18. rest — a break
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — the animal
  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