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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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 — child
  3. firm — steady
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. firm — decided
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — in a road
  12. kid — to tease
  13. firm — a company
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fine — all right
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fine — high quality

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