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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bulb — for light
  15. net — for catching
  16. kid — to tease
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. staff — employees
  23. kid — child
  24. staff — employees

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