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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. game — wild animals
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. present — there
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lean — to bend
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fall — to drop
  10. kid — child
  11. game — a match
  12. craft — boats
  13. board — a committee
  14. bore — to drill
  15. present — the time now
  16. board — to get on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fall — the season
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fall — to drop
  24. present — a gift

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