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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. kid — to tease
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wind — moving air
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rest — what's left
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. shower — rain
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rest — a break
  19. shower — to wash
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. kid — child
  24. wind — moving air

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