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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — child
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mug — a cup
  6. spring — the season
  7. craft — a skill
  8. spring — of water
  9. rash — a series
  10. suit — in cards
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. spring — a coil
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. present — a gift
  16. mug — a face
  17. present — there
  18. mug — to rob
  19. craft — boats
  20. suit — to fit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. present — the time now

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