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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. board — to get on
  3. land — ground
  4. scale — size or range
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. land — to come down
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. band — a ring
  10. board — a committee
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bear — the animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. scale — in music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. land — a country
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bear — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pass — a permit

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