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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. chest — of your body
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chest — a box
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. craft — a skill
  15. kid — child
  16. pop — music
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — boats
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. chip — to eat
  24. kid — to tease

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