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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. plane — a tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. sharp — clever
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. date — the fruit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. kid — to tease
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. kid — child
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. deal — to handle
  24. jam — in traffic

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