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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bore — to tire
  4. root — of a plant
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mug — a face
  7. root — of a word
  8. race — a contest
  9. kid — child
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rock — a stone
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bound — obliged
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bound — certain
  21. root — the cause
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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