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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mug — a cup
  3. can — a tin
  4. chest — of your body
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. capital — money
  19. mug — to rob
  20. capital — a city
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. plane — a tool
  24. can — a tin

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