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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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. kid — to tease
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lean — to bend
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — in cards
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lean — thin
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kid — child
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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