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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. fine — all right
  7. prune — to trim
  8. dip — to sink
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cue — a hint
  11. kid — to tease
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. face — to confront
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kid — child
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — high quality
  22. cue — for pool
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — the animal

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