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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. can — to be able to
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. can — a tin
  10. club — for golf
  11. race — the arms race
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. can — a tin
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kid — child
  21. race — humankind
  22. dip — to sink
  23. plane — a tool
  24. race — a contest

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