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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — magic
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. firm — decided
  7. kid — child
  8. snap — to click
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. firm — a company
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. rest — what's left
  17. face — part of the head
  18. spell — letters
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rest — a break
  21. firm — steady
  22. spell — a short time
  23. kid — to tease
  24. face — to confront

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