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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. ball — a great time
  4. object — a thing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. board — a committee
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. object — to protest
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. object — an aim
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rash — a series
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rush — hurry
  20. board — to get on
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kid — child
  24. rash — hasty

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