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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — child
  3. wake — a trail
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. safe — a strongbox

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