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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. firm — decided
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kid — child
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. firm — steady
  14. mine — for digging
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. craft — a skill
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. firm — a company
  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