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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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468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. club — for golf
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ground — a position
  10. degree — temperature
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mug — to rob
  17. kid — to tease
  18. mug — a face
  19. kid — child
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — in a race

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