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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cue — a hint
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. club — a group
  8. bound — obliged
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. tear — from crying
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bound — certain
  13. pit — a hole
  14. tear — to rip
  15. season — of the year
  16. kid — child
  17. bound — tied together
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cue — for pool
  20. club — for golf
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. season — in sport

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