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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: fan · object · bat · arm · pitcher · bark · mate · can

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mate — to breed
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — an aim
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bark — to shout
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. can — to be able to
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. can — a tin
  22. bat — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. object — to protest

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