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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 124 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. object — a thing
  10. board — a committee
  11. bank — of a river
  12. kid — child
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bank — for money
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. object — an aim
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. object — to protest
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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