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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — to tease
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rule — a law
  9. rash — a series
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kid — child
  14. rule — government
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. can — to be able to
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. tube — the underground
  22. plane — a tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — an aircraft

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