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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 124 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. firm — a company
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. present — a gift
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a committee
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. present — there
  14. firm — steady
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. firm — decided
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rest — a break
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. present — the time now

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