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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. tear — to rip
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. key — in music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. season — of the year
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. can — a tin
  11. shower — to wash
  12. kid — to tease
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. can — to be able to
  19. tear — from crying
  20. kid — child
  21. key — for a lock
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. season — in sport
  24. can — a tin

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