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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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. hand — in cards
  4. current — of water
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — a group
  8. race — the arms race
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. chest — a box
  11. pass — a permit
  12. current — electric
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. hand — help
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — a contest
  17. kid — child
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. club — for golf
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. current — happening now
  24. club — for dancing

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