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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — child
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fall — the season
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kid — to tease
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. craft — boats

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