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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. saw — the tool
  3. key — in music
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. key — the most important part
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mine — for digging
  11. kid — child
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. kid — to tease
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. lean — thin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to bend

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