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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. race — a contest
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mug — a face
  8. hand — help
  9. mug — a cup
  10. board — to get on
  11. hand — in cards
  12. kid — to tease
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mug — to rob
  16. kid — child
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. board — a committee

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