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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · face · can · date · stick · bear · jam · nail

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — part of the head
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. date — the fruit
  13. face — to confront
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bat — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. can — a tin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. date — on the calendar

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