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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. can — a tin
  5. kid — child
  6. lie — to recline
  7. sharp — clever
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. can — to be able to
  20. kid — to tease
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lie — an untruth

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