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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 120 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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