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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: snap · foot · nail · bat · season · saw · tube · can

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. tube — the underground
  6. can — a tin
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — a measure
  9. snap — to click
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. can — a tin
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. season — in sport

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