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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pop — soda
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. file — a line of people
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kid — to tease
  11. file — a tool
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. shower — rain
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bore — to tire
  16. key — in music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. file — a document
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pop — music
  21. kid — child
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bore — gave birth

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