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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — wild animals
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. dip — to sink
  6. craft — boats
  7. march — the month
  8. kid — child
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. game — a match
  11. kid — to tease
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. march — the month
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. march — music
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pass — a permit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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