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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kid — child
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. foot — a measure
  8. press — a publisher
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — of water
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. current — happening now
  19. press — to push
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. press — newspapers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. current — electric

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