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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. drill — a practice
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — a hole
  6. staff — a stick
  7. press — to push
  8. staff — employees
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — army training
  11. plane — a tool
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ground — crushed
  17. kid — to tease
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. press — newspapers
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — in a race
  23. press — a publisher
  24. ruler — for measuring

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