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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kid — to tease
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — goods
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stock — shares
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bass — the fish
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bass — low music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. kid — child
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. net — after costs
  24. trunk — of a tree

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