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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. root — of a word
  10. kid — child
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. root — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kid — to tease
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fork — in a road
  20. root — the cause
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pit — in a race

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