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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. kid — to tease
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pop — soda
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chair — a leader
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pop — music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. suit — to fit
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. chair — to sit on

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