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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.

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

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. board — a committee
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. board — to get on
  6. kid — to tease
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. kid — child
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cap — a hat

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