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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 King held a masked ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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 dance
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stock — goods
  6. ball — a great time
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. kid — child
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bore — to drill
  13. stock — shares
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. kid — to tease
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bore — to tire
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. trunk — of a car

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