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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. present — there
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. present — a gift
  8. can — a tin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rest — what's left
  14. key — for a lock
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — in music
  20. present — the time now
  21. kid — child
  22. snap — to click
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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