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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. tear — from crying
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. rash — hasty
  6. kid — child
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cell — a phone
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tear — from crying
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tear — to rip
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kid — to tease
  18. cell — in biology
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rash — a series
  24. deal — a big deal

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