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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. suit — clothes
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. kid — child
  8. key — the most important part
  9. band — a ring
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chest — of your body
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. key — in music
  14. mark — a grade
  15. toast — bread
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kid — to tease
  23. band — a music group
  24. key — for a lock

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