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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. ball — a great time
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a dance
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kid — to tease
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cue — a signal
  12. kid — child
  13. rash — hasty
  14. perch — the fish
  15. cue — a hint
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — for pool
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pit — in a race
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — a series

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