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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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. mouse — the animal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. snap — to click
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. kid — to tease
  9. spell — a short time
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. kid — child
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rock — a stone
  15. spell — letters
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. spell — magic
  19. rock — music
  20. pit — in a race
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. chair — a leader
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — a tight spot

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