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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kid — child
  6. key — in music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. craft — boats
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. key — for a lock
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. key — the most important part
  19. craft — a skill
  20. press — to push
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. press — a publisher
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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