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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.

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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. craft — boats
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. track — a path
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — to tease
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. track — a song
  21. kid — child
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. calf — a young animal

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