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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — a stone
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rash — a series
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. rock — music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rash — hasty
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pitcher — a jug

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