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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pitch — completely
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. kid — child
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ground — crushed
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. kid — to tease
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mug — a face
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ground — a position
  24. ball — a dance

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