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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fine — all right
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. kid — child
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kid — to tease
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mine — belonging to me

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