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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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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pop — soda
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. swing — music
  6. kid — to tease
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. swing — in golf
  14. branch — a division
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pop — to visit
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pop — music
  24. kid — child

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